Gas operated gun



May 22, 1951. R. J. MoNNER GAS OPERATED GUN Filed Dec. 10, 1946 INVENTOR AT1' EY Patented May 22, 1951 ons oPERA'rEn GUN Ray J. Monner, Moline, Ill., assignor to Monner Gun Corporation, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Application December 10, 1946, Serial No. 715,310

2 Claims. (Cl. 124-11) l 1 This invention relates to gas operated guns and more particularly to a semi-automatic gas operated gun.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gas operated gun which is semi-automatic.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a gas operated gun with a gas release valve as an integral part of the master gas cartridge.

These and other and further objects of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following description taken together with the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a gas operated rie;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan viewpartly in section of the gas release valve for the gas operated riiie; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a rotatable bolt ior the gas operated rifle.

In general the gun of this invention comprises a removable gas cartridge which has a valve connecting it to a rotatable breech bolt which alternately receives a bullet from a magazine and compressed gas from the gas cartridge to force the bullet out through the gun barrel.

In Fig. 1 a rie of this invention is shown loaded, cocked and ready to discharge. A removable cartridge I is fitted with a valve mechanism 6 which comprises'a block 1, a head 8 on a seat 9 and. a stem I0 sliding in a passage Il in the block l. The stem I has -a reduced section immediately next to head 8 and at this reduced portion an extension I2 opens at an angle from the passage I I, and a longitudinal passage 6I running the length of the thick section is provided as shown in Fig. 2. The extension passage I2 meets with a port I3 in the receiver 2. Thus, compressed gas may be supplied to the port I3 by lifting the head 8 off the seat 9 so that' gas ilows under pressure from the chamber I around the head 8 and through the passage II into the extension I2. A trigger .guard I4 swings on a hinge I5 on the under side of the receiver 2 .and below .the cartridge I and engages a lug I6 on the cartridge I. The cartridge l is locked in position by trigger guard I4 clamping the lug I6 when the guard I4 is fastened in place against the stock 3. In order to remove or replace the cartridge I the trigger guard I4 is moved downwardly and through a forward arc to a position at right angles with the receiver 2 thereby releasing the cartridge locking lug I 6 which is an integral part of the cartridge. The cartridgel may then be Withdrawn from the `receiver 2 and a freshly relled cartridge I inserted. Returning the trigger guard I4 to its normal position automatically locks the fresh cartridge I in place.

A rie gun barrel I'I is mounted in the receiver 2 alongside the cartridge I with the breech end of a bore I8 in the barrel I'l opening into -a bore I9 in a rotatable breech bolt 23. rIhe bore I9 is curved in the bolt 23 forming a port 24. As the bolt 23* is rotatable on its axis through an angle of degrees by a rack 26 engaging a pinion 21 on the bolt 23 the curved bore I9 may be turned upward or downward. When the bore I9 is turned downward the ports I3 and 24 are coterminous and gas pressure from cartridge I may be supplied to the bore I9 upon actuation of the gas release valve 6.

When the bolt bore I9 is turned upward as shown in Fig. l the port 24 is coterminous with a bullet port 28 from which bullets 29 are fed into the bore I9 and received in a pocket 3 I. The bullets 29 are carried in a bullet magazine 32 which is held in the receiver 2 alongside the barrel I1. A spring follower 94 urges the bullets 29 rearward in the magazine 32 Iand into a passage 36 in the receiver 2 and, when the bore I9 is turned upward, through the port 28 into vthe pocket 3l. The follower 34 has a chain 3l next to the bullets to force the forwardmost bullet in the magazine 32 into the pocket 3|. The bullet pocket 3I is formed to retain one bullet 29 in alignment with the gun barrel bore I8 and slightly forward of the gas port I3. In Fig. 3 the port 24 is shown oval shaped and divided by -a narrowed section at the center into forward and rear sections. The bullet 29 is received in the forward section and when the bolt 23 is rotated the bullet 29 is held on the forward lip of the port I3 by the pocket 3l and the narrowed section of the port 24 while the rear section of port 24 is aligned with the port I3 and provides a Wedge-like space 'behind the bullet 29. The wall of the bore I9 is relatively thin Iand as shown in Fig. 3 is cut by a longitudinal slot 4i so that when the bullets v29, which have a slightly larger diameter than the bore I9, pass through it there is an expansion of the bore I9 which effects a seal by the bolt 23 of the port 28.

The rack 2B is fitted with a toothed section 46 at its lower end which is engaged by a quadrant 4l on a trigger 49. A rocker arm 5I at the rear of the receiver 2 has a dog 52 at its lower end which latches in a Sear 53. Sear 53 carries integral with it the forwardly projecting bar 59 and this unitary structure 53, 59 is slidingly and rotatably mounted on transverse pin "l2 by slot 13 58. The clockwise pressure of the dog 52 placesA a forward thrust on bar 59 through sear 53. The trigger 49 turning on an axial pin 66 is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 62. The pin 66 is mounted on an arm 64 which is urged clockwise by a spring 15 and rests against the receiver 2. The pin 66 is inserted in a slot 61 in the trigger 49 so that trigger 49 can move laterally on the arm 64 against the compression of spring 92.

In operating a rifle of this invention a cartridge I of compressed gas is locked in position in the receiver 2. In loading position the bolt bore I9 faces upward and receives a bullet 29 urged into the pocket 3| by the Spring follower 34 and chain 31. The rocker arm 5E is cocked manually by pressing its upper portion forward against the spring 55 until the dog 52 locks in the sear 53 held in latching position by sear spring 63. The gun is then in position to be discharged as shown in Fig. l.

The gun is discharged by drawing the trigger 49 backward and in a counterclockwise direction rotating the quadrant 41 also in counterclockwise direction and drawing the rack 26 downward. The bolt 23 is rotated to open the port 24 to the port I3 with the bullet 29 resting on the forward lip of the port I3. In this position the bolt 23 blocks the bullet port 28. At the same time as the bolt 23 is rotated the counterclockwise motion of the trigger 49 moves the Sear 53 in a clockwise direction by the shoulder 14 raising the bar 59. When the sear 53 has moved a predetermined distance the dog 52 is released and the compression spring 56 impels the rocker arm 5| in a clockwise motion which drives the plunger 51 against the valve stem I0 lifting the valve head 8 off the seat 9 and admitting compressed gas into the passages II and I2 and behind the bullet 29 in the bore I9. The expansion of the compressed gas forces the bullet 29 out of its pocket 3| and through the expansible bolt bore I9 into gun barrel bore |8 and thus out of the gun. During the instant of discharging the bullet 29 the sealing of the bullet port 28 is increased by the expansion of the split bore I9 as the oversize bullet 29 passes through it. Simultaneously the small longitudinal passage 6| through the large section of the stem I Il leads compressed gas into passage 58 and counteracts the pressure of the spring 55 forcing the plunger 51 away from the stem I0 and permitting the gas pressure in chamber to seat the head 8. Meanwhile the spring 63 draws the sear 53 rearwardly to the point where it disengages the arm 59 from the trigger. Then the spring 63 serves further to rotate the sear 53 counterclockwise thus preparing it for receiving and recocking the rocker 5l on its return stroke.

The gas pressure in chamber 58 continues to force the plunger 51 backward until the dog 52 reengages sear 53 which the spring 53 has drawn rearward and in a counterclockwise direction on the pin 12 in the slot 13. The trigger 49 will ordinarily remain held by the operator in its rearmost counterclockwise position during the reengagement of dog 52 and sear 53. A forward thrust is put on the Sear 53 when the dog 52 re- .4 engages it and at the end of the forward motion of the sear 53 the play of the slot 13 is taken up and bar 59 brought forward into engagement with the under side of shoulder 14. The finger of the operator is not disturbed as the forward motion of the trigger under the thrust of the bar 59 is counterclockwise around the axis formed by the operators finger. The trigger 49 turning on pin 66 under the pressure of the spring 62 is returned to its original position upon release by the operator. The trigger 49 slides forward on pin B6 in the slot 61 as the trigger is returned thus permitting shoulder 14 to slide over the end of the bar 59. When the trigger 49 is returned to its original position upon release by the operator it becomes re-engaged with the bar 59 by rearward motion permitted by the slot 61 on the pin 66. Also when the trigger 49 is released by the operator the bolt 23 is rotated to the position where it will receive another bullet 29 from the port 28 and thus the cycle is completed and the rifle automatically recocked.

The increase or decrease of the velocity of the discharged bullet may be accomplished by varying the force exerted by the spring 56. The gas release is limited to a denite and controlled quantity due to the fact that the valve 6 is caused to be opened to a fixed distance and then to be closed instantly through a fixed duration of time. This valve control is eiected by the balanced system wherein the spring 56 delivers a xed amount of energy through the rocker arm 5I, plunger 51 and valve 5 against a constant head gaseous pressure in the cartridge I. Therefore, the balancing of forces delivers a fixed amount of gas into the passage II and consequently to the bullet discharged.

The bolt Z3 may be provided with peripheral grooves 42 into which sealing rings 43 are fitted. The bolt 23 is provided with an antibacklash spring 44 which bears against the pinion 21 and maintains a slight pressure on the bolt 23 at all times. A safety cock is provided by locking the sear 53 with a safety lever 68 which pivots on a pin B9 and, when in forward position prevents the clockwise motion of sear 53 by locking with a pin 1|.

The manner as described of rotating the bolt 23 will suggest various ways by which this may be accomplished. Likewise, the particular trigger yand Sear arrangement and the manner of locking the gas cartridge shown and described yherein have been adopted for the purpose of .this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of this invention as disclosed herein and for that reason it is not intended that it should be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a gas operated gun, a gas cartridge detachable from the gun, a gas releasing valve contained in said gas cartridge and detachable therewith, a magazine containing projectiles and feeding them one by one to a bolt-loading port,` a bolt at said port rotatable to different positions and having a bore and opening adapted to receive projectiles from said magazine and charges of compressed gas from said gas cartridge, and a trigger controlled mechanism connected to open said valve and simultaneously to rotate said bolt from a projectile receiving position to an opposite position in which it is adapted to receive a charge of gas from said cartridge through said opening and bore, the rotatable bolt having a split end formed with an internal portion having a reduced diameter slightly less than the diameter of the projectile so that the passing of the projectile Will correspondingly expand said split end of the bolt into sealing contact with the bolt-containing chamber of the gun.

2. In a gas operatedlgun, a gas cartridge detachable from the gun, a gas releasing valve contained in said gas cartridge and detachable therewith, a magazine containing projectiles and feeding them one by one to a bolt-loading port, a bolt at said port rotatable to different positions and having a bore and opening adapted to receive projectiles from said magazine and charges of compressed gas from said gas cartridge, and a trigger controlled mechanism connected to open said valve and simultaneously to rotate said bolt from a projectile receiving position to an opposite position in which it is adapted to receive a charge of gas from said cartridge through said opening and bore, the rotatable bolt having a rear pinion connected through intermediate rack means to the trigger of the gun to be rotated `thereby in each direction, the said bolt being f held thereby in predetermined position by a corresponding positioning of said trigger by the operator.

RAY J. MONNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

